Written questions

Shipping: Houthis

Commons · Question 123368 · Tabled 24 Mar 2026 · Department for Business and Trade · Official record

Answered 1 Apr 2026

Question

Asked by Ben Obese-Jecty

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of disruption to shipping by the Houthis in the Bab el Mandeb Strait on global trade.

Answer

Answered by Chris Bryant, 1 Apr 2026

Since the Houthi began attacks on international shipping in October 2023, global maritime trade via the Bab el Mandeb Strait (including ships coming to or leaving from the UK) has reduced very significantly. While precise trade figures for 2025 and onward...

Shipping: Houthis | Written question | Institrace